Archive for December, 2006
Wednesday, December 27th, 2006
Recently I’ve been getting comments and e-mails about my RSS feed or lack thereof. I tried rectifying it, however I know that many out there do utilize my Atom feed, so I hope that I have not allowed access to some whilst denying access to others. So to the people who asked that I fix my RSS feed, please let me know if it works for you and those who used my Atom feed, please let me know if I broke it. Thanks!
I hope that all of you had a good Christmas and had lots to eat and drink while not hurting your diets too much. I meant to post a Christmas message, but I guess stuff just got in the way. So here’s my belated “Season’s Greetings” to you. Cheers.
Posted in Christmas, Miscellaneous | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, December 27th, 2006
Well Uncle Patrick dug deep into his bag of goodies and gave us all a spectacular gift for Christmas - the promise that no smelter would be built in Chatham. Well I guess it’s not much of a gift since most never wanted the smelter in the first place, but I guess in some twisted way it is the Prime Minister’s idea of a gift.
Who is this guy anyway? He comes on our TVs on Christmas Eve no less acting like he was doing us a favour. Have you ever watched one of those psycho stalker movies where the psycho stalker has his victim imprisoned in his house and he’s in a good mood so he unchains her for a bit and allows her to walk around the house and he thinks he’s the greatest guy in the world because he’s being “nice” to her? That’s how I feel about Mr. Manning right now.
I didn’t listen to the address because I didn’t want Patos to spoil my Christmas, but I did hear about it Christmas morning on the news. He never really said why there is to be no more smelter at Chatham which in itself was a little strange. For the guy who said that no Tom, Dick or Harry will change his mind or for someone who so vehemently defended the smelter projects, it seems strange that he would change his decision with just a whimper. I guess part of me wanted to hear Patrick admit he was wrong, even though I knew that was unlikely.
So what exactly changed his mind? Since he has plans of moving it to Otaheite, I’m guessing that it wasn’t the unfeasibility of the project or the damage to the environment that changed his mind. For that matter I can’t think of what could have changed his mind since many of the issues that made Chatham an unsuitable site also make Otaheite unsuitable. So it may very well be the protesters themselves who were able to change the Patos Freight Train. Could it be that people in this country still have a voice? I want o believe that but I’m afraid that I’ll get carried away with the euphoria of it all.
Otaheite and La Brea, you’re on notice.
Posted in PNM, Politics | 6 Comments »
Tuesday, December 19th, 2006
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| Martin Joseph |
This past Saturday Minister of National Security Martin Joseph courageously projected that the murder rate for 2006 won’t be as bad as that of 2005. Said he,”I am sure that we are not going to be as bad as we were in 2005.”
That’s the problem with Trinidad and Tobago today - we don’t have enough ballsy politicians. The Minister must be relieved that the murder rate is still hovering around 360 with only 13 killing days left in the year. As of now it doesn’t look like the murder rate will surpass last year’s 389 total.
So you there young grasshopper, do you want to be bold like Martin Joseph? You want to know what it feels like to make daring predictions? Well here’s your chance. This is what you must do:
Set an arbitrarily high murder rate figure. Think of this as a twisted version of The Price is Right. So instead of not going over, make sure not to go under. You don’t want to guess too low and have the murder rate surpass your estimate. That will make you look like an ass. Additionally, guessing too low will make it look as though things are completely out of your control.
You do however want to guess too high - but only just a little. Beware, because this is where it gets tricky. Do not under any circumstances guess a murder rate that surpasses last year’s total. This will illustrate how ineffective you’ve been throughout the year. You don’t want the voters to know that you are ineffective - at the very least you don’t want to give them more proof. So estimate the murder rate just below last year’s total, but not too much. Remember that rum-fueled murder-suicides are common at the end of the year, and a quarrel over a burnt ham or a spouse’s drinking could leave a whole family dead and your bracket all messed up. A three-murder cushion is good. So in Martin Joseph’s case, guess 386.
Finally admit to yourselves that this is by no means a contract, a promise or a guarantee. You don’t owe anybody anything. If it turns out that you were right, say, “I told you so”. Also, add that you reconfirm the government’s commitment to reducing the crime levels “currently being experienced by the country”, and that the drop in the crime levels is testament to the strides being made by the Government to rid the country of the crime scourge yadda, yadda, yadda. It may also be a good practice to condemn the naysayers who didn’t think that sub-386 was possible.
If you were wrong, say it was just an estimate and how yuh didn’t promise nobody nothing. The crime problem won’t be solved overnight, there is still a long way to go, but the Government is committed blah, blah, blah. Condemn the naysayers anyway.
*Adendum - Apparently the murder rate for 2005 was 386. So Mr. Joseph didn’t arbitrarily choose a number that wouldn’t be crossed, he was just stating that our rate this year won’t surpass last year’s. He’s still an idiot though. But I apologise for my mistake.
Posted in Crime, PNM, Politics | 7 Comments »
Friday, December 15th, 2006
Was anyone thinking of getting a tattoo for Christmas?
Posted in Humour, Miscellaneous | 14 Comments »
Friday, December 15th, 2006
This is what I want to ask you. Have you become immune? We’ve already reached about 353 murders for the year with 16 killing days left. That’s 353. And we have a population of about 1.3 million people. Last year I think we ended on 389. When will absolute disgust actually set in? Will it ever set in or have we passed it without ever knowing it?
I think that whether we realize it or not every day we become less and less horrified by the carnage. Is who getting chop, who getting shoot who missing for weeks. It’s not strange to hear about another murder, in fact it’s strange if a day goes by without a killing of some sort. I think that 353 murders in 349 days bears testimony of that.
Sometimes I try to convince myself that no, I’m not getting immune, it’s just that I’m busy and I “doh have time to take on dat”. But can that really be true when I don’t remember the name of one person who got murdered last month let alone last week. Not one. Can anyone of you name someone off the tops of your heads?
What’s interesting to note though is that St. Lucia’s murder rate for the year was 35 and the people there were so disgusted by it that they voted out their government and put the Opposition in its place - all for 35 murders. So who is we? We have 10 times that and we still henging on to the same Government. Cross your fingers.
On a completely random note, have you ever had a week that was so bad that at the height of your incredulity, you wonder if you are in fact dreaming it all? That was my week. Sorry for not posting regularly.
Posted in Crime | 13 Comments »
Wednesday, December 13th, 2006
- And just like that David “Buffy” Millard is free, and just like that Jilla Bowen’s killers have not been brought to justice, and now may never be brought to justice. First is was the debacle of the Bakr trial and now stemming from that, since witness and police alike are afraid to testify, the DPP was forced to drop charges against Millard who was extradited from Guyana earlier this year. Who ever said that our justice system was in a mess is a genius….oh wait that was me (and countless others I guess). Instead of rabidly pursuing smelters and construction of tall buildings, why don’t we invest some of our oil and as revenue into that areas that deserve the most attention - namely, crime fighting? What good is our justice system when we are still depending on eyewitness testimony rather than DNA. DNA doh cower. DNA doh shiver at the sound of Bakr’s name.
- And the Bas shall soon be back. The Sunday Express reported that the UNC may consider Basdeo Panday in the role of a temporary political leader since “that’s what the people want”. However, it will just be on a temporary basis as a political leader is yet to be elected. Right. The UNC is becoming more and more irrelevant every day as well as a bigger and funnier joke. What else is new? How they can consider Bas once more as even an interim political leader is I guess the mystery of the week. So why no Kamla? She’s already the Opposition Leader, and therefore almost a de facto Political Leader. Why summon the ghost of Basdeo Panday? This goes to show, I can’t pretend to understand the United National Congress.
- But a a. I watching the fourth ODI between the West Indies and Pakistan and during the commercial break and who do I see advertising for Call 555 but Sat Maharaj himself - Sat Maharaj doing a spot for the Ministry of National Security. Well yes. I was a little shocked and plenty disturbed.
- Well finally the Windies have won a game against albeit a depleted Pakistani side. We won the fourth ODI against Pakistan in Multan today. Pakistan was restricted to 209 all out and the Windies , although we got off to a shaky start (11/2), won it in the 35th over with Marlon Samuels leading the way with a 99-ball century. We can no longer win this ODI series, but we can at least draw it.
Posted in Cricket, Crime, Infrastructure, Politics, Sports, UNC | 2 Comments »
Sunday, December 10th, 2006
My six month anniversary came and went on December 6th. I knew it was coming but I just didn’t have the time on that day to post anything. So, after 135 posts and 17,000 page loads (nowhere near Saucy’s 65,000 page loads in 4 months), I realize that I’ve told you almost nothing about myself since I started writing here. But that’s mostly because I like my anonymity that comes with this blog. So to make up for that I am going to tell you 5 random things about myself that absolutely no one else knows. Here they are:
- This is not my first blog. I’ve actually been blogging for years.I got bit by the blogging bug in 2004 and haven’t looked back since.
- On rainy days I listen to rainy day music. This is perhaps the corniest thing that I do, bar none. But rainy day music makes a rainy day seem not so dreary. To be precise they are not all “rainy day songs” per se, but a collection of songs that have rain in their titles and/or mention rain. My top
10 12 favourite rainy day songs are:
Songs about Rain - Gary Allen
Fire and Rain - James Taylor
Why Does It Always Rain on Me? - Travis
Rainy Days - Guster
Rain - Breaking Benjamin
I Wish It Would Rain - The Temptations
Have You Ever Seen the Rain - Credence Clearwater Revival
Rainy Night In Georgia - Ray Charles
Who’ll Stop The Rain - Credence Clearwater Revival
I Love A Rainy night - Eddie Rabbit
Rain Please Go Away - Allison Krauss & Union Station
Rainy Days And Mondays - The Carpenters
Songs that did not make it to the playlist include:
Blame it on the Rain - Milli Vanilli
Raining Blood - Slayer
It’s Raining Men - The Weather Girls
I could always use suggestions for other good songs about rain…in case anyone has any.
- I’ve had reoccurring dreams my entire life. I think I’ve had them all from showing up to school completely naked to finding myself in a room filled with snakes. My first was when I was 4 and I’d dream I’d get up to use the bathroom, and on my return I’d walk past the staircase to see a green witch standing at the bottom. I’d take off but she’d take off after me. Of course everything would be in slow-motion, but I’d manage to get back to bed just before she grabbed me. My most frequent reoccurring dream now is of me driving a car, approaching a stoplight with a few cars stopped ahead of me. I’d try to mash the breaks but the car would refuse to stop. I end up rear-ending the car in front of me and I’d wake up.
- My two biggest pet peeves are
(1) People littering.
(2) Parents smoking in their cars with their poor defenseless children strapped to their car seats. As a matter of fact parents smoking in their cars with their children is enough to make me angry but my anger flash boils when it’s babies involved. It’s even worse when they have the windows rolled up. I’ve seen this so many times especially in the U.S. I’m almost afraid to tell people this about me because I think that people are going to think I’m psycho when I tell them just how much it annoys me.
- I daydream way too much which is probably why sometimes I am not at all productive. I can’t help it though. My mind drifts uncontrollably. This is may be good for creativity, but bad for studying (not that I think I am at all creative). It requires superhuman strength for me to sit down for a long while and study. However it’s good for problem solving. In fact I think my best problem solving time is when I’m jogging and my mind is completely blank. I won’t necessarily start out hoping to find a solution to a problem, but inevitably one will pop into my head.
So there you go. Those are my five things. Maybe in another 6 months I’ll post another 5 things, but then again maybe not.
Posted in Miscellaneous, Personal Story | 47 Comments »
Friday, December 8th, 2006
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| Jack Warner |
On Wednesday Jack Warner was cleared by FIFA. In September word got to FIFA that Jack had been a bad boy seeing that tickets that he owned were sold from Simpaul Travel (a company owned by the Warner family) for 400 times their face value. One reports alleges that he and son Daryan made a profit of at least £500,000 on 5,400 tickets for England, Mexico and Japan matches. Having had his name being shown in a bad light, Warner referred himself to FIFA’s ethics committee asking for guidance on whether he was guilty of a conflict of interest.
On Wednesday FIFA cleared Warner and recommended that no action be taken against him for the sale.
Marcel Mathier, who headed the committee’s examination, said there was no evidence that Warner infringed FIFA rules during the 2006 tournament.
“It could not be evidenced that Mr Jack Warner had knowledge of the resale of these tickets at a higher price,” Mathier said.
“The resale is certainly forbidden, but the person who did the reselling is not subject to the Fifa jurisdiction, because it is the son of Jack Warner.”
Mathier said Fifa was unable to sanction Warner’s son Daryan because he was not directly employed by FIFA.
Mathier did recommended however that Warner be scolded.
Well that’s not only a technicality, but also a giant loophole that FIFA needs to mend. If it were that Jack Warner had directed his son to sell the tickets it would be near impossible for any proof to be collected short of bugging phones and sitting in on quiet time with dear old dad.
Jack Warner being cleared on these charges not only highlights FIFA’s condemnations as being capricious,( see Ismail Bhamjee story), but shows that there are loopholes through which tickets could scalped.
So what’s stopping any other member of FIFA from selling tickets on the black market through family members whose wheelings and dealings they have “no knowledge of”?
FIFA president Sepp Blatter declared the matter now closed and stated,
“The executive committee have expressed their disapproval over the conduct of Mr Warner. This disapproval of the conduct of the vice-president draws his attention to the fact that he should be more prudent and cautious when it comes to ticketing and should also oversee the activities of his son a little more.”
Of course Jack Warner talking like a man who didn’t just dodge a bullet said:
I have been vindicated today by the Fifa Executive Committee as I had always expected for, as I have said from the inception, that I had committed no offence,” he said.
“I am happy that my record-making 24 consecutive years in the Fifa Executive Committee today remains unblemished.
“I know that, especially in my country, there will be those who will be disappointed with the results of the Fifa investigation and its decision and will no doubt make other attempts to tarnish my character and good name.
“This is indeed very unfortunate but I promise to be forever vigilant in the struggle against personal, vindictive and political attacks against me being confident that, in the end, good shall always over come evil.
“I wish to thank all those persons and organizations who, over the past months, have kept faith in my integrity and I refer here especially to my family, my staff, my friends both at home and abroad and to my political party the United National Congress,”
In my book an acquital due to a lack of evidence is hardly a “vindication”. And his “24 consecutive years in the Fifa Executive” is hardly “unblemished”. You might as well suggest that Abu Bakr is a good man.
And as easy as that Warner and his spawn have made a cool £500,000 thanks to the giant loophole that was begging to be exploited. Although it was called illegal, inappropriate (and a whole host of other opposites) there’s no amends, there’s no giving the money back, there’s no formal apology. But you go to Hilo and tief a bread and see what happen to you. See if you’ll be let off with a scolding.
Posted in Corruption, Football, Politics, Sports | 14 Comments »
Tuesday, December 5th, 2006
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| Prof. Ken Julien |
Professor Kenneth Julien and the University of Trinidad and Tobago is something we’re going to be hearing about over the next few months. 2006 was a year of controversy with Alcoa, the Panday trial, Felicity and any number of other incidents and non-incidents, so the latest offering helps to ensure that 2006 goes out with a bang.
On Sunday 26th November, the Sunday Express ran a story written by Camini Marajh headlined “The University Untouchable” in which several allegations about Ken Julien and the running of UTT were made.
It was a good article by Ms. Marajh and it’s a lot of information to wade through, so I’ll give it to you in point for here - not all of it though, just some. Keep in mind though that at this point they are all allegations.
- The University of Trinidad and Tobago has received well over $500 million worth of public funds which is not subject to scrutiny by any body.
- The Professor insists that UTTs dealings are transparent and that audited accounts are sent to Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education Mustapha Abdul-Hamid. The Express’ source state however, that there are no audited accounts.
- Chairman of the Board of Governors and President of UTT, Professor Ken Julien has not disclosed “any information about the new State-funded university in his 2005 filing of registrable interests to the Integrity Comission although he is paid a professor salary by UTT.”
- There is a lot of questionable spending going on at UTT including a lease of US $4,000 a month on a luxary La Riviera appartment (where is La Riviera?), the purchase of computers from a company called Diamond Systems and Supplies at a cost of $14,000 a piece although the same computers could be sourced directly from Dell for $6,000 a piece. Also being scrutinized is the decision to use public funds to pay for UTT administrative staff members to pursue PhDs in foreign universities. UTT pays tuition, housing, and travel expenses. Plus PhD students still get their full local salaries to upkeep their homes here in Trinidad.
- It’s unclear who exactly controls UTT? Is it the Government of Trinidad and Tobago or is it shareholders?
- Martin Daly wrote a confidential letter to Ken Julien which seemed to him of ways to avoid filing the a declaration for the Integrity in Public Life Act.
- Prof. Julien’s declaration of interests to the Integrity Commission has very little information pertaining to UTT. His declration does not state that he receives a salary from UTT or that he has use of a Volkswagen Toureg paid for and maintained by UTT.
- However in June 2006 he did declare one of his companies called Kenesjay Systems although he ceased being a a director in this company since June 30th 2005.
- Julien denies that UTT footed a bill of $2.8 million to refurbish the Kenesjay building for a UTT administration office. He says that the renovation cost was $30,000. However Ms. Camini Marajh alleges that she has seen financial accounts that suggest otherwsie.
- Prof. Julien denies any knowledge of a company called Pan American Development Co. or of its connection to UTT, Alutrint or E Teck (I guess his relationship with this company was a question put to him by Ms. Mahrajh). However the Express did find such a company in which Prof. Julien is a director along with two Venezuelans. The company is located at Corner Priority Bus Route and Orange Grove Road Tacarigua (you all know that building? I think it’s cream and brown, but I could be wrong). The two Venezuelans, Rivere Villamizar and Renda Butler, are named directors of Alutrint (the other Alcoa) as well as directors in Alutech which is a company set up to capitalize on the downstream possibilities of Alutrint in the form of a wheel manufacturing company. Prof. Julien was also a director in Alutrint up to May 18th last year and his son Phillip is Alutrint’s project development manager. Villamizar and Butler are also directors of Alutech. Prof Julien is also a director of Alutech.
Do you feel like throwing up yet?
Posted in Corporate, PNM, Politics | 21 Comments »
Monday, December 4th, 2006
News coming out of the Hall of Justice is that the Imam Yasin Abu Bakr has been freed of all charges of conspiracy to murder expelled Jamaat members Salim Rasheed and Zaki Aubaidah. Lead defence attorney Pamela Elder requested and Justice Imbrahim yielded to her request that the case should not proceed. In his judgment, the Judge said that it would be “unsafe” to send the case to the jury citing witness irregularity among other issues….more to come.
Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments »
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